Week 13: Quid Pro Quo and Office Politics – #AlphaFemaleFriday

I remember sitting in one of my mandatory core classes, this interesting class which served as a hybrid of United States history, sociology, and criminology. Our professor gives us all the proverbial elevator eye, paces around the front of the room, and says to us that we will change and evolve in the way that avid gym goers change. The muscle that athletes build is forged by breaking down their bodies, ripping them apart, and seeing it slowly heal overtime to build strength and change shape. We built out identities in high school, we broke them down in college, and once we stepped out into the real world of grad school and/or our careers, we would have to rebuild that identity once again.

Thirteen weeks into this personal project and approximately eight going on nine months into my career, I find that my daily work life is more similar to my high school environment than my college environment. Many of the stereotypical aspects of high school pop up in a close-knit office environment: the cliques, the gossip, the competition, and more blatantly, the endless social climbing which we have confidently dubbed “the corporate ladder”.

I realize now that as much as I wanted to avoid playing high school politics when I was fifteen, that same desire doesn’t apply to me now that I’m twenty-two going on twenty-three. While the office politics continue and clearly the definitions of what constitutes a “cool kid” versus “a loser” have barely changed since we were teenagers, we can no longer sit out of this game. It’s a game we all have to play, but this time, I can work at facilitating win-win situations.

We have to be comfortable with teamwork. Teamwork is a necessity, and we have to be aware of and be ready to use our assets to our and their advantage. We must give to others knowing that one day we will have to cash in those favor chips for something that we need. Growing up, I was afraid to ask for help—scared that it would make others around me think of me as a helpless baby. Despite the fact I am one of the youngest people in the office, I know that is not only important for me to ask for help and guidance when I’m lost. It’s expected of me: I’m in a brand new position and point in my career. I’m going to continuously run into situations where I feel like a chicken without a head.

I continue on with the passion to grow, evolve, and learn. I know that every connection I make and opportunity I am given to mature helps pave the path for those who represent me currently and those who I will represent in the future.

Cheers,

Kelly

@AlphaFemSociety tweets by @KellyRGonzales

About:

Each week, I take a tip from Lois P. Frankel’s book, Nice Girls Still Don’t Get the Corner Office, and explore how each of these tips affect myself and other women in similar positions on the road to becoming the women we want to be. There are far and few between who are a few steps behind me, and many more who are far advanced. I found that Lois P. Frankel’s advice applied to novice, intermediates, and experts alike. It helped me see that I was already doing right, served as a reminder to keep on doing what I was doing and how to keep that momentum going. The book also showed me areas where I could improve, and gave realistic tips to jump on board. There are a total of 133 tips, and explore one tip per week in a program I call: 133 Weeks to Success.

Join the movement using the hashtag #133WeeksToSuccess with posts which are posted every #AlphaFemaleFriday.